


Spill the Beans

by realjane



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, F/M, Fluff, Secret Crush, Truth or Dare
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:22:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22538485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/realjane/pseuds/realjane
Summary: Blaise only has one task during the St. Valentine's Day soiree at Malfoy Manor, but it's no easy feat when it concerns a certain gorgeous red-headed woman. Will Blaise accomplish Draco's dare? Or will he be forced to endure the torture of The Beans?
Relationships: Ginny Weasley/Blaise Zabini, Luna Lovegood/Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott/Harry Potter
Comments: 10
Kudos: 17
Collections: My Sweet Valentine





	Spill the Beans

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Squarepeg72](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squarepeg72/gifts).



Blaise stood with his back against the pillar, apprehensive and all too aware of the firewhiskey working its way through his senses. _Come on, man. It’s a simple dare. So what if you’ve never spoken to her? You’re… decent with women. She is a woman--_

“Blaise!” Draco snapped. Blaise focused and he cleared his throat. 

“What?”

“Time is running out,” Draco said with glee. “She’s alone. By herself. It could not be easier.”

Blaise ventured a glance in the direction Draco was pointing. She indeed stood alone in front of the fireplace, staring into her drink, while guests carried on loud, laughing conversations all around her. She was miserable, but she _did_ have on a becoming black dress, which was lacey and fell to her knees. _Merlin…_ how he fancied her. That red hair in firelight...

“I was getting to it.” Blaise toed the ground. This whole heart-themed mixer was Draco’s idea--open to any Gryffindor or Slytherin Hogwarts alumni in his acquaintance interested in reconciliation, having drinks and getting to know each other better. On St. Valentine’s Day. In the bloody ballroom of Malfoy Manor, which was bedecked floor-to-ceiling with love hearts and red billowing fabric, with three tables _full_ of pastries on theme. Plenty of Gryffindors had begged out of the event, but those who had shown were eager to acquaint themselves with the Slytherins in attendance. Except for Ginny Weasley, who appeared to have been dragged there by Luna Lovegood. Luna, who had shown keen interest in Draco from the moment she arrived, and had been a Ravenclaw in school. Blaise suspected Draco had invited her ‘on accident’ but he refused to admit it out loud, even though Draco had spoken about her many times with fondness.

The dare was _also_ Draco’s idea. He dared each Slytherin to their unique romantic challenges for the night… Pansy had succeeded in the first half hour by kissing two separate and eager people, and Nott had managed to corner Potter the second he arrived. Blaise’s dare was making him sweat.

“I thought it’d be a cinch for you!” Draco clapped his shoulder. “ _Go talk to her_.” Or suffer eating an entire package of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans, in one sitting. Torture either way, in Blaise’s mind.

“Oh, bugger off,” Blaise said. He pulled out of Draco’s grasp. “Go snog your Ravenclaw.”

“Touchy!” Draco teased. He nudged Blaise shoulder again and dodged out of his reach with a cackle. “Good luck!” Draco called. He returned to Luna’s side as she chatted with Neville Longbottom, who was inundated with a group of swooning Slytherin girls.

Blaise inhaled deeply. He straightened his collar, which felt liable to strangle him at any moment. He took measured steps, counting them out as he moved closer. When he arrived at her side, he stopped, angled himself towards the fireplace, and put his hands in his pockets.

Ginny raised an eyebrow. “Can I help you?” 

“Great party!” Blaise said abruptly, staring into the fire. 

Ginny hiccoughed a laugh. “I suppose.”

“How is it?"

“It’s fine,” she said. 

He glanced around the room. Couples were swirling as they danced, while people on the outskirts balanced pink firewhiskey punch in crystal glasses. All his so-called friends were spying on him; Pansy peered over the rim of her drink, Theo through his fingers, and most blatantly Draco--who gave him two thumbs up. Ginny covered a laugh with her hand. “I’ve got to go.” Blaise brushed past her and strode for the door. He hastened through the throng of party guests, who were all oblivious to his distress except for Draco. Draco grabbed his arm.

“What was _that_ , Blaise _\--_ ”

“Just give me the bloody beans,” Blaise said. Draco frowned and reached into his robe pocket, handing over a bag of the infernal beans. Blaise snatched them out of his hand and escaped from the ballroom, robe flapping behind him. He might pass out at any moment--Blaise was desperate for fresh air. 

As soon as he burst out into the February air, Blaise doubled over with his hands on his knees. He tried to breathe.

Pathetic… couldn’t even chat up a Weasley. With those deep brown eyes, those freckles dotted across her nose… her cheeks dimpled when she smiled… It was bad enough that he saw her all over the Ministry, but this!

Blaise found a garden bench beside a grove of peach trees. Narcissa Malfoy had become famous for her winter-grown peaches; they were perfect orangey-pink spheres, and they sort of glowed in the dim, yellow light. He laid down. Cool from the concrete pressed through his robes as he recovered his breath. Blaise plopped the bag of beans on his stomach. _Might as well get this punishment over with_ , he thought. The first bean he pulled out was red. Likely cherry or cinnamon, at worst chili pepper. He bit into it. No… it was… bacon flavor? Not so bad.

“Why would you eat those?”

Blaise sat up so fast that he upset the bag of beans and sent them scattering over the stones. “Bollocks.” He got on his hands and knees, saying nothing to the woman who had scared the beans out of him. She knelt, too. He hazarded a glance at her. Ginny scooped handfuls of candies into the fabric of her skirt and held out a hand for the bag. He gave it to her. “Thanks.”

“Sorry for scaring you,” she said. Her mouth quirked in a little smile.

“‘S alright.” He tied the bag and stood, brushing his knees. He sat on the bench in defeat.

“Do you… um. Hate me?” Ginny sat beside him. Blaise’s head snapped to her and he frowned.

“No! Why would you say that?” 

“That’s good,” she said. “It’s just… we’ve never spoken before, and back there…”

“Right.” He looked away. “I’m not good at talking.”

“You talked to Malfoy tonight, and Pansy. And Nott--”

“Yes, but I don’t--” He stood, pacing out his desire to run away as fast as possible, and wrestling with a desire to stay. “I’ve known them a long time,” he managed.

“Hmm…” Ginny picked up the bag of beans and bounced it in her hands. She let the subject drop. “Bertie Bott’s, huh?”

“Mmm.”

“Why would you torture yourself?” she asked with a laugh.

“It’s punishment.”

“For?”

He sighed. “Failing to complete a dare.”

“A… _dare_? Like ‘Truth or Dare’?”

He shrugged.

“Huh...so, as a result of your failure... you have to eat two hundred of the worst candies in the wizarding world?”

“One hundred and ninety-nine,” he said. “I already ate one.”

Ginny laughed. “What flavor, then?”

“Bacon.”

“Eww.”

“Mmm.” Blaise touched a peach on the branch at his eye-level. “I suppose I’m lucky it wasn’t worse. As if St. Valentine’s _could_ get any more ghastly.”

Ginny groaned. “Gods, I hate it!” she agreed. “I’m not sure why I let Luna talk me into coming. Who do I talk to? And how early is _too early_ to leave without being rude…”

“It feels so _forced_.”

“Thank you! Yes! Malfoy is _forcing_ all of us to be friendly. I can’t be myself.”

“I empathize.”

“Plus, it is way too much pressure to hook up with someone here, and knowing Malfoy, that is _exactly_ his design on Luna… I mean, she’s not a Gryffindor, but she got a personal invitation. He’s been stuck to her like glue all night.”

“He appears to fancy her, if that helps. Has done since he did that internship at St. Mungo’s.”

“I forgot they were part of that!” she said. “Well… maybe I underestimated him. Who else have I underestimated?”

“I’ve often wondered that. Since the war.” Blaise turned back to her. He scratched his chin. 

Ginny leaned back against the ornate bench; goose pimples covered her arms but she didn’t pay the cold mind. She tilted her head as she considered him with genuine curiosity. “What did you have to do for your dare?”

Blaise shook his head and looked at the ground.

“Is it that bad?”

“It’s not _bad_ , per se… but it’s trivial.”

“Try me.”

He cleared his throat. “I uh… I had to talk… to _you_ , for ten minutes.” He cringed, waiting for her reaction. 

Ginny laughed in disbelief. “That’s it? Talk to me?”

“What do you mean, ‘that’s it’?” He scoffed. “Do you know how hard it is for me to talk to women? Let alone the woman who I find a-attractive? In a room full of my particular friends who _know_ what I’m like and _know_ what I have to do _AND_ they get to watch? Ugh!” He rubbed his face. “I didn’t even want to come to this stupid party but Draco had to play the Best Friend card, and I’m--I’m--”

Ginny grabbed his arm and tugged him towards the bench. “Oooookay, Zabini. Sit. Let’s begin again.”

He let out a long breath and nodded. 

“There we go.” She released his arm and folded her hands on her lap. “Hello, Blaise. How are you doing? Isn’t this a lovely garden?”

He gave her a queer glance. “I’m… fine. _Ginny_. I’ve always thought the Manor had fine gardens, though they have suffered since Draco’s mother passed.”

“Was she an avid gardener?”

“She won many awards for her fruit trees and groomed hedges.”

“Interesting.”

“Mmhm.”

They sat in silence for a moment. Ginny scooted closer and held up the bag of beans she had been babysitting. “Now that that is over with… What say you to a little revenge?”

“Revenge?”

“Mmhm. On Malfoy. And the rest.”

“For what?”

“Trying to embarrass you. Underestimating you _and_ me.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“You, me, the robe closet… filling pockets with beans.” She shook the bag for emphasis.

“That is… villainous. I’m in.”

Ginny lead the sneak back into the Manor, which was easy considering how dark the house was out front _and_ the fact that the rest of the party bubbled raucously within the confines of the ballroom. The robe closet was just inside the entry of the Manor, guarded by a large mahogany door. Blaise opened it and gestured for Ginny to enter. He pulled the door shut behind them and Ginny flicked on the light. 

It wasn’t an _evil_ prank, but it _was_ potentially bothersome, which was satisfying it its own way. Ginny snickered as she tried to decide which beans must be the worst, and who ought to endure them. Her delight made him giddy, too. 

Two hundred jelly beans seems like a lot until they’re being distributed between the pockets of so many robes. Blaise found Draco’s favorite and made sure to put twice as many beans in his pockets. When the bag was empty, he stuffed it into one of Draco’s italian boots, which were perched on the top shelf.

“Well, that’s all of them,” Ginny said. “Revenge is a dish best served in gelatine.”

Blaise shook his head. “What a devious mastermind you are.”

“I am the head chef of revenge, don’t you forget it.” Ginny batted his arm. 

“It’s been a pleasure to be your sous chef.” 

The grandfather clock chimed in the hall and Ginny’s eyes went wide. “You did it!” She grabbed his hands.

He was confused. “What did I do?”

“Your _dare_. You talked to me for ten minutes! Twenty, even.”

Blaise squeezed their joined hands. “So I did.”

“All you needed was a good dose of payback.” Ginny released his hands to smooth the front of his robe.

“I still owe _someone_ something. For the dare.”

“Who?”

“You,” he said. He peered at her intently, in a way he hadn’t been able to just twenty minutes prior. “You’re a bit… wonderful, Ginny.”

“I’m not.” She blushed. Blaise caught her chin and coaxed her to look at him.

“Yes, you are. And beautiful to boot.” He was well-pleased by her flushed cheeks.

“May I admit something?” She bit her lip. “I… sort of asked Malfoy to… encourage you to talk to me. After I saw you at the Ministry Christmas party.”

“I left right after you arrived.” He had paled at the sight of her. She had been so beautiful in a red velvet dress and he couldn’t stand the thought of being near her all night, so he had made his excuses and slipped out.

“I was annoyed,” she said. “I’ve wanted to talk to you for ages. Harry always says how intelligent you are, how insightful you have been on this case or that. Made me feel like I knew you. But you’re always distant. I couldn’t tell if it was a broody Mr. Darcy thing, or if you were still… into pure-blood nonsense or worse, that you took the dark mark or something--”

“Certainly not,” he scoffed. “Like Draco, my parents made their own demise. I never took the mark, Ginny.” He shucked off his outer robe and handed it to her. He unbuttoned his sleeve to bare his arm, which she took in hand. Her thumbs smoothed his skin. She seemed satisfied that his skin was unmarred and focused instead on the veins that ran beneath the surface. “I just didn’t know how to approach you,” he admitted, shivering as her fingers found his wrist. Her hand slid into his palm and interlaced their fingers.

“We’re a pair of cowards,” Ginny laughed. “Luckily, Malfoy’s always in for a set-up.”

Blaise pulled her toe-to-toe with him. “He doesn’t deserve any credit; you’re the one who had the… the…”

“The beans?” she offered.

“The _beans_ to come find me outside,” he finished, chuckling. 

She grazed his cheek with her thumb. “What if this was my only chance to speak to you? I had to know, if I was just… imagining my draw to you.”

“I am no great orator, and I make no promises about my quality as a listener, but… I want to know everything about you.” He touched her waist, gaze flicking to her lips. 

Ginny’s hands found his shoulders. She stood on her tippy-toes. “Do you want to kiss me?” She nosed his cheek.

He bowed the tiniest bob of a nod, arms wrapping around her. Ginny tilted her chin up and their lips met in a feather-light kiss. Blaise’s shoulder relaxed. Ginny’s fingers found purchase on the back of his head. The kiss grew in intensity; Blaise lifted her off the ground and his lips worried hers in a needsome dance between respectful and daring. Ginny’s tongue traced his bottom lip and all bets were off. She made a hum of approval when his tongue met hers. Blaise savored the texture of the lace dress in his hands and he made a mental note to tell her so, when next his mouth was free. She kissed him like he was the only man alive.

Blaise broke the kiss to catch a breath and their foreheads touched.

“So,” she whispered. “Um...”

“Yes. Whatever you’re about to say. Yes.”

Ginny giggled and kissed him again, a soft peck of affection and delight.

The closet door swung open abruptly. A shocked Theodore Nott stood in the doorway beside an equally baffled Harry Potter. They were rumpled--both men had distraught hair and Harry’s glasses were askew. Blaise buried his face in Ginny’s neck in embarrassment and she tapped his shoulder to make him release her. He did so and carded a hand over his face. Ginny picked his robe off the floor and draped it over one arm. She took his hand. “Come on, Zabini. Someone else needs… their robe.” She pushed past the agog men. Nott and Potter filed into the closet and shut the door. “I didn’t see that match coming,” she whispered to a still-mortified Blaise.

“Theo follows him around our office like a puppy,” Blaise said.

“I have been too distracted by a certain _devastatingly_ handsome man--”

“Draco doesn’t work at the Ministry,” Blaise said with a wink. Ginny pulled him close again. 

“I wasn’t talking about Malfoy, cheeky man.” She leaned up to kiss him again but he was hesitant, out where anyone could see them. “Hey. Don’t go cold on me, now.”

Blaise took her hand from his cheek and kissed her palm. “I’m sorry. I’m dazed.”

“That we got caught?” she suggested, but he shook his head.

“No, Ginny. This...” He gestured between them. “I’m not embarrassed by you, and I don’t care that they caught us, although it’s for the best considering the way I was… starting to feel,” Blaise admitted. “I thought I was in for pure torture tonight. I’m thrilled to be wrong.”

“Would you have eaten that _entire_ bag of Bertie Bott’s?” She narrowed her eyes at him.

“Probably,” he chuckled. “I’m lucky you found me after Bacon.”

She patted his arm and sighed in mock relief. “Do you want to get out of here? I know how you like leaving parties early,” she teased. 

Blaise nodded eagerly, taking his robe from her. Ginny buttoned the front for him.

“Let me say goodbye to Draco. Meet you outside?”

“Alright.” She beamed. Her eyes were bright and dancing. Blaise dropped a lingering kiss on her lips. 

Draco was easily located in the ballroom; a glow emanated from his silvery hair, which was matched in brightness by that of his companion from where they swayed in the corner of the dance floor, cheeks pressed together. Blaise thought better of disturbing the sweet scene. He’d owl Draco tomorrow.

Blaise caught up with Ginny on the Manor’s front steps. The wind blew tendrils of hair at her temples. “I swiped you a goody bag,” Blaise said. “Not a bean to be found.”

“Aren’t you sweet?” She took the proffered cellophane bag. “There’s something else I’d like for St. Valentine’s, though.”

“What’s that?”

She grabbed the front of his robes and pulled him close. “You have to come home with me to find out.”

He chuckled, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Haven’t you figured it out, Ginny? I’m at your mercy.”

**Author's Note:**

> Ahh! This was such a delightful prompt, I enjoyed every moment of writing it. Keeping it under 3k was difficult. ;) I hope you enjoy it!


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